Why Does Boutique Clothing Cost More?

Why is Custom Boutique Clothing More?

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good deal and you will most likely find me shopping the clearance racks for my kids instead of paying full retail price!  In the past year that I’ve gone into business for myself I have found out that most people want a boutique garment without the boutique price!  But, did you ever think about what is the actual cost to the person who is making your adorable garment?  Here’s a little breakdown when it comes to the pricing for embroidery and appliqué.

Embroidery Machine	$1000 to $15,000
Software	$150 (to merge designs and letters)
Thread	$3 a spool
Stabilizer	$20 a roll
Polymesh	$20 a roll
Solvy	$10 a roll
Heat and Bond for Appliques	$5 a pack
Adhesive Spray	$18 a can
Needles	$5 a pack
Designs	$3-10 each
Maintenance on machine	$100 each year
T-shirt blanks	$5-8 each
Fabric	$8 a yard

So, as you can see, it’s not cheap to go ahead and start a business for yourself!   

Let’s talk about the process.  There’s no “easy” button on the machine that you can just press “go” and watch it complete your design!  You have to learn how to hoop stabilizer, trim appliqué, manage your machine, work the software and more!  That takes a lot of time and trial and error to get just right! 

A design on a single needle machine can take up to an hour to complete!  Maybe more if it has a lot of fabric changes in the appliqué!  Then, add the time it takes to create the customization in the computer software – each letter of your child’s name is merged one at a time – we love it if you don’t change your mind on the fonts after we send you a digital picture of your design!  

 

If you’re buying from a mom trying to run the business as a supplement to her family’s finances she is usually working after the kids go to bed…..usually the average completion of shirts is around 1-3.  Any more than that and Mommy will be pulling an all-nighter!

Now, I think most of us order custom boutique online.  Add in the cost for listing on Etsy, hosting your own website, paying the internet bill, etc. and the costs to the seller keep climbing!  Are you having your item shipped?  Add the cost for packaging – and maybe even a little extra if that packaging is sent with cute ribbon and other details to make you feel special!  Does the seller have cute pictures on her page?  That camera wasn’t cheap!

Let’s not forget Uncle Sam!!!  Having a boutique business means paying business licenses and other taxes!  As confusing as it gets, hiring an accountant is sometimes a necessary expense.

 

That all said, finding a “deal” is a good thing and sometimes you will get what you pay for in boutique items.  Hopefully after reading this you will feel better supporting your local (or internet) boutique for special occasions and pinch your pennies in consignment sales and clearance racks!